Monday 9 August 2010

Mantis Miniatures' German SS Grenadier - Eastern Front 1942-43 (Review)

Manufacturer: Mantis Miniatures
Item Code: 35010
Medium: Resin
Review Publication Date: August 6th 2010




Following the first harsh winter of 1941-42 in Russia, the Wehrmacht and Waffen-SS were issued a more practical winter uniform, developed due to the shortcomings of the standard-issue winter clothing. It was in the autumn of 1942 that improved winter clothing was received by troops, this consisting of the hooded jacket, trousers, mittens, hooded toque and felt winter boots.
35010 – “German SS Grenadier - Eastern Front 1942-43” is a 1/35th scale resin figure sculpted by Sergey Travianskiy. The figure depicts a stereotypical Waffen-SS non-commissioned officer of unknown rank loading a flare pistol on the Eastern Front. The figure is inspired by the military artwork of Dmitriy Zgonnik, which has subsequently appeared in the Concord Publishing title ‘Into the Cauldron - Das Reich on the Eastern Front’ by Robert Michulec (ISBN: 962-361-170-6). Released during April 2010, the box-art is painted by Jaume Ortiz.
Sergey Travianskiy and Mantis Miniatures have interpreted Dmitriy Zgonnik’s excellent, but two-dimensional, artwork and made it their own by adding the rear detail, thus completing the picture and rendering that third dimension.
For the painter, as with most SS subjects, there are a number of interesting ways in which this figure can be presented. While this figure wears the Feldgrau/white reversible suit introduced during 1942-43, the Waffen-SS later introduced a reversible, padded winter suit into service during the winter of 1943-4 featuring SS autumn patterns on the one side and white on the other. As there was not noticeable difference in cut between the two versions, this figure could certainly represent the later period as well as the marketed 1942-43 period.
The combination Sergey Travianskiy’s excellent sculpting of and the high quality casting of Mantis Miniatures presents modellers with a really nice figure with a lot of painting potential. Recommended.


Click here for my full review on Historicus Forma